Carnation plant named ‘Hilamber’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Carnation plant named ‘Hilamber’, characterized by its compact, uniformly mounding and upright to broadly spreading plant habit; relatively small leaves; freely flowering habit; light yellow-colored double flowers; and good container performance.

Botanical designation: Dianthus L.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HILAMBER’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCarnation plant, botanically known as Dianthus L., grown commercially asa container plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Hilamber’.

The new Carnation plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objectiveof the breeding program is to create new container Carnation plants withnumerous attractive flowers.

The new Carnation plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in June, 2011 of a proprietaryselection of Dianthus L. identified as code number 1196, not patented,as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of DianthusL. identified as code number A46207-05, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Carnation plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in DeKwakel, The Netherlands in September, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Carnation plant by terminal cuttingspropagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, TheNetherlands since October, 2012 has shown that the unique features ofthis new Carnation plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Carnation have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Hilamber’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Hilamber’ as a new and distinct Carnationplant:

-   -   1. Compact, uniformly mounding and upright to broadly spreading        plant habit.    -   2. Relatively small leaves.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Light yellow-colored double flowers.    -   5. Good container performance.

Plants of the new Carnation differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation are more compact than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Carnation are more fully double        than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Carnation and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Carnation differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation have larger flowers than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Carnation and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Carnation also can be compared to plants of DianthusL. ‘Bling Bling’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants ofthe new Carnation differ primarily from plants of ‘Bling Bling’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation are more compact than plants of        ‘Bling Bling’.    -   2. Plants of the new Carnation are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Bling Bling’.    -   3. Plants of the new Carnation and ‘Bling Bling’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘Bling Bling’ have yellow and        orange-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Carnation plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Carnation plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Hilamber’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photograph and following observationsand measurements were grown during the spring in 10.5-cm containers in aglass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and undercultural practices typical of commercial container Carnation production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C.to 17° C., night temperatures averaged 12° C. and light levels averaged7,000 lux. Plants used for the photograph and description were twelveweeks old. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus L. ‘Hilamber’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Dianthus L. identified as code number 1196, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Dianthus L. identified as code number A46207-05, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at            temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at            temperatures about 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five            weeks at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; whitish in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial, typically            grown as a container plant; compact, uniformly mounding,            upright to broadly spreading plant habit; moderately            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 15            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 15.4            cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 23.2 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: Freely branching habit            with about nine main (basal) stems; each main stem with            about five lateral branches; pinching enhances lateral            branch development. Length: About 6.9 cm. Diameter: About 3            mm to 4 mm. Internode length: About 1.6 cm. Strength:            Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 50° from vertical. Texture            and luster: Smooth, glabrous, waxy cuticle; matte. Color,            developing: Close to 145B; at internodes, close to 145C.            Color, developed: Close to NN137A to NN137B; thin waxy            cuticle, close to 188A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 9.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 6 mm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly oblanceolate; slightly to moderately            carinate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate; decurrent.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous, waxy cuticle; matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B;            towards the base, close to 144B. Developing leaves, lower            surface: Close to 137C; towards the base, close to 144A to            144B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A;            thin waxy cuticle, close to 189A; venation, close to NN137A.            Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to NN137A; thin            waxy cuticle, close to 189A; venation, close to 143A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower form and flowering habit.—Double flowers arranged in            panicles with about eight flowers each; freely flowering            habit with about 75 flowers developing during the flowering            season; flowers face mostly upright to slightly outwardly.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering is continuous from the            spring to late summer in The Netherlands; plants begin            flowering about nine to eleven weeks after planting.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the            plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; clove-like, sweet.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.            Shape: Oblong to obovate. Texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 137C; towards the base,            close to 145C; petal apices, close to 4B.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 8.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9.2 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 3.7 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About 15 petals arranged            in about three whorls. Length: About 3.9 cm. Width: About            2.2 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Praemorse. Base: Narrowly            cuneate. Margin: Towards the apex, irregularly dentate;            towards the base, entire; moderately undulate. Texture and            luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety;            matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;            slightly velvety; matte. Color: When opening, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 4B; towards the margins and apex,            close to 5B; at the base, close to between 145D and 150D.            Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 4B; towards            the margins and apex, close to 5B; margin edge, tinged with            close to 20B to 20C; at the base, close to between 145D and            150D; venation, similar to lamina color; color does not            change with development.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity and arrangement: About 65 petaloids            arranged in about 13 whorls. Length: About 2.9 cm. Width:            About 1.1 cm. Shape: Irregularly spatulate. Apex: Praemorse.            Base: Narrowly cuneate. Margin: Towards the apex,            irregularly dentate; towards the base, entire; moderately to            strongly undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface:            Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety; matte. Texture and            luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety;            matte. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 4B; towards the margins and apex, close to 5B; at the            base, close to between 145D and 150D. Fully opened, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 4B; towards the margins and            apex, close to 5B; margin edge, tinged with close to 20B to            20C; at the base, close to between 145D and 150D; venation,            similar to lamina color; color does not change with            development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a            single whorl; proximal 70% portion of the sepals are fused            into a campanulate-shaped calyx. Calyx length: About 2 cm.            Calyx diameter: About 1.9 cm. Sepal length: About 2.3 cm.            Sepal width, at base of “free” portion: About 8 mm. Shape:            Oblong to narrowly oblong. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; glossy.            Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 148D; towards            the apex, close to 148C. When opening, lower surface: Close            to 137C; towards the base, close to 145C. Fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 148D; towards the apex, close to            148C. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 143A; towards            the base, close to 144B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 25° from branch axis.            Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; waxy; matte. Color:            Close to NN137B; thin waxy layer, close to 188A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 25° from the            peduncle axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous, waxy;            matte. Color: Close to 143A; thin waxy layer, close to 188B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About 20 stamens per            flower; strongly deformed. Filament length: About 5 mm.            Filament color: Close to 157D. Anther length: About 1 mm.            Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 161D. Pollen:            None produced. Pistils: Quantity: About three per flower.            Pistil length: About 2.1 cm. Stigma diameter: About 3 mm.            Stigma shape: Pointed, spirally curved. Stigma color: Close            to 29C to 29D. Style length: About 1.7 cm. Style color:            Close to NN155D. Ovary color: Close to 144B; towards the            base, close to 144C. Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed            development have not been observed on plants of the new            Carnation.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Carnation have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Carnation    plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Carnation have been    observed to tolerate high temperatures about 35° C. and to be    suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Carnation plant named ‘Hilamber’ asillustrated and described.